Dear Tom,
Which is colder, the North Pole or the South Pole? How do their temperatures compare to Chicago?
Joseph Corey
Dear Joseph,
Climates at both of the Earth’s poles are brutally cold, but the South Pole is by far the coldest. Chicago, by comparison, is practically a tropical paradise. Average annual temperatures at the South Pole, North Pole and Chicago are, respectively, -58(degrees) F, +6(degrees) and +50(degrees). An average day in Chicago is 108 degrees warmer than an average day at the South Pole, and an average day at the North Pole is 64 degrees warmer than a comparable day at the South Pole. The polar regions are vastly different in two important respects that account for their great temperature differences. The North Pole lies at sea level on an ice-covered ocean. Ocean heat rises through the ice and moderates the climate there, whereas the South Pole sits 9,000 feet above sea level on two miles of solid ice.
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Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist at WGN-TV. His forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN-TV News at noon and 9 p.m.
Write to: ASK TOM WHY, 2501 Bradley Pl., Chicago, IL 60618 or asktomwhy@wgntv.com (Mail volume precludes personal response.)
WGN-TV meteorologists Steve Kahn, Richard Koeneman and Paul Dailey plus weather producer Bill Snyder contribute to this page.
